The Difference Faith should make in our Lives

 

It is an honour to be new in Christ.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Monday of 21st Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, and the Memorial of St. Augustine, August 28th, 2023  
Texts: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5.8-10; Psalm 149:1-6,9; Matthew 23:13-22 

Today’s message challenges us at the basis of the difference faith should make in our lives. St. Paul praised the people of Thessalonica for the difference their faith made in their life. They rejected idolatry and turned to serve the living God and waited for the second coming of His Son. Their service to God manifests in works of faith, labour of love and steadfastness in the Lord Jesus.  He mentioned one of their labour of love, which is the welcoming of the saints. He says, “For they themselves report concerning us what a welcome we had among you”. 

The people of Thessalonica experience newness in their life because they believed in true gospel. St. Paul says, “For we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you; for our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” It is hard to be true Catholics when what we listen to is not Catholic. We fail to be true Catholic because we allow the philosophical and Pentecostal thoughts to hold our minds captive. This a wake-up call to turn our hearts to Catholic devotions and practice.

Woe to you, blind guides

Jesus Christ condemns the propagation of practice and teaching that detract people from the truth. He says, "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath. You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?” Some of us are far from God today because of heresy. We can only be saved from such heresy by turning to Christ, the truth and the light. 

Jesus Christ affirmed that such teaching, heresy, could lead people to hell. In His words: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.” This happened because of the heresy they fed people with. Let us teach the truth and let us listen to the truth. 

Calls us to newness of life in Christ

Today’s Psalmist also calls us to newness of life in Christ. We read, “Sing a new song to the Lord, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.” Our faith demands that we become new in the Lord; old things must pass away. This call to newness of life is based on the Lord’s goodness to us. We read, “Let them praise his name with dancing, and make music with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the poor with salvation.” He also adds, “Let the praise of God be in their mouths. This is an honour for all his faithful.” It is an honour to be new in Christ. 

St. Augustine, whose memorial is today, was once victim of heresy and debase practice. He attained salvation when he turned to Jesus Christ. He became a sign of hope to those who are labouring under heresy and debase practice. When he turned to Christ he became the teacher of truth. He listened to the truth, believed the words of the truth and defended the truth till the end. We will become saints if we follow his path, turning from heresy and debase practice to Christ. Jesus Christ is the truth and light of life. 

Prayer 

Renew in your Church, we pray, O Lord, the spirit with which you endowed your Bishop Saint Augustine that, filled with the same spirit, we may thirst for you, the sole fount of true wisdom, and seek you, the author of heavenly love. Amen (Collect) 

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke